Icy Days, Warm Hearts
by PomKat
Summary: There they laid, flat on their backs on the freezing ice in a fit of laughs and giggles, like two happy babies. BA friendship.


Disclaimer: 'Law and Order: Criminal Intent' and all it's characters belong to Dick Wolf. Not me. :(

A/N: Just a little one shot. Reviews fill my happy meter.

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Bobby Goren was not an ice skater, he was a murder detective, and how he got into the miniature death traps on his feet was a mystery even he couldn't solve.

He watched from the entrance of the rink as she glided ever so delicately over the dangerously slick ice, laughing and waving at her sister and nephew who happily sat on the sidelines. If he hadn't promised her he would come, he'd probably be wading through some poor person's blood and trying to slip into the mind of a killer.

When had he promised her exactly? He couldn't remember. She had probably snuck in the question at a time when he was deep in murder and oblivious to the world around him. How very cunning of her.

There was a scrape of metal against ice to Bobby's left, causing him to look over. Alex stood there, grinning, her cheeks rose and her body all bundled up in a coat that was a bit too large for her petite frame.

"Don't tell me the great Robert Goren has never ice skated before," she joked.

"Fine, I won't." He pursed his lips as he cautiously put a foot into the rink. Thankful he hadn't died yet, Bobby dared to fully step out onto the ice.

"Hi, Bobby!" a chorus of voice rang out as a group of Alex's family zipped past. He smiled at them, not trusting his feet enough to let go of the rink's siding and wave.

Carefully, Bobby pushed himself forward, slid a few inches, then grasped the railing again for support. Alex choked down a laugh and patted his arm. "You get used to it after a while."

"Yeah, sure," he muttered.

Alex stayed beside him as he scooted along. They chattered about her family, his day, and of course, murder. When Bobby felt brave (or stupid) enough to release the railing, she slipped an arm in his and ushered him along faster. He gnawed on his bottom lip to keep the complaints about their speed under wraps and tried to enjoy an afternoon without blood and guts and tears.

What a huge transition.

Little by little, Alex increased their speed until they were zipping around the rink, causing the objects and people around them to blur by. Bobby would have closed his eyes, but the fear of crashing into something had them wide open.

That's when it happen. A boy, around the age of then, swooped in, exclaimed a "Hiya, Auntie Lexa! Hiya, Bobby!" and came to a dead stop in front of them.

Alex jerked to a halt, swinging Bobby back with her. He watched, like everything was happening in slow motion, as the heavy skates slipped out from him. He latched onto Alex (as if she could support his weight) and toppled backwards and onto the hard ice. The small woman landed beside him with a grunt a moment later.

There was a moment of silence after the young boy stopped apologizing and stared down at the two. Nothing but the sound of skates slicing across the ice.

And then laughter.

Bobby turned his head to stare at Alex as she shook with giggles. Her pretty amber eyes brightened with tears as she wrapped her arms around her tiny waist. And suddenly, he was laughing too.

There they laid, flat on their backs on the freezing ice in a fit of laughs and giggles, like two happy babies.

After a few moments, their laughs subsided and a few members of Alex's family helped them to their feet. Bobby wobbled to the nearest opening of the rink and jumped out. He was already unlacing his skates by the time Alex sat next to him and began to do the same.

"Thanks," she said, causing eyebrows to raise.

"For what? Almost giving you a concussion?"

She laughed again. "Thanks for giving me a reason to laugh. To relax. I really needed it."

Bobby blinked once, twice. Then grinned. "Anytime," he replied and stood, the skates in his hands. "You hungry? I'll buy."

Smiling, Alex nodded and rose to stand at her rightful place at his side. "I'll just go say goodbye to everyone and be right back."

Bobby watched her go and then went to return the skates. As he handed them over to the middle-aged man behind the desk, the man asked, "Have fun on your first time skating?"

"Never again, my friend. Never again."


End file.
